Oliver p



0. P. HIPPLE.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT. 30. I916- Patented Dec. 2,1919.

ZIP/E 7 INVENTOR fl/ rer P H/ ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

OLIVER P. HIPPLE, 015 W ILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION- OF PENNSYLVANIA.

swrrcH.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented D9112, 1919,

Application filed September 30, 1916. Serial No. 123,040.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER P. HIPPLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switches and particularly to means for adjusting the positions of the contact members thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide an eccentric pin that shall be adapted to adjust the position of the contact member with respect to its operating arm for the purpose of initially positioning the same and to compensate for the usual wear thereof.

Heretofore, it has been usual either to replace the contact members of a switch when they became worn in order to secure effective engagement or to shift the positions thereof by the use of set screws and other similar devices. Since-the former method is expensive and the latter does not admit justment may be obtained between predetermined limits.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an electromagnetically operated switch embodying my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are an elevational and a top view, partially in plan and partially in section, respectively, of the operating arm of the switch embodying my invention; Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevational and top plan views, respectively, of the contactbearing member embodying my invention, and Figs. 6 and 7 are a detail view, partially in elevation and partially in section, and an end elevational View, respectively, of an adjusting device embodying my invention.

A switch 1 comprises a base member 2 upon which is mounted a magnetizable core member 3, an actuating coil 4, an operating lever arm 5 and an arc chute 6. The operating lever arm 5 constitutes the armature of the magnetizable core member 3 and comprises two spacedapart arms or members 7 and 8. The arms 7 and 8 are provided with openings 9 to receive a pin 10 that is adapted to extend through an opening 11 in a contact-bearing member 12.

that-is secured to a stationary member 16 by a screw 17. A compressionspring 18 is adapted to be disposed between a projection 19 on the contact-bearing member 12 and a projection 20 extending downwardly be tween the two arms 7 and 8 of the operating lever arm 5.. The spring 18 is adapted to turn the contact-bearing member 12 around its pivot pin 10 in order to' secure efiective engagement between the contact members 13 and 15. t

The arm 7 is provided with an opening 21, and the arm 8 is provided with a screwthreaded opening 22, An opening 23 is provided in the contact-bearing member '12 and a pin 24 is adapted to be'disposed in. the openings 21, 22 and 23. The pin 24' comprises a concentric portion 25, a concentric screw-threaded portion 26 andan eccentric portion 27. The concentric portions 25 and 26 are adapted to bedisposed in the openings 21 and 22, respectively, and the eccentric portion 27 is adapted'to be disposed in the opening 23 in the contact-bearing member 12. A nut 28 is provided for the screwthreaded portion 26 and serves as a locking device for securing the pin in any desired position. The pin 24 is also provided with a polygonal head 29 for the purpose of facilitating the turning of the same.

Since the spring 18 is adapted to turn the contact-bearing member 12 about its pivot pin 10, the extent of this turning movement will be limited by the pin 24. Thus, if the ing arm 5. However, if the pin is turned from this position, the spring 18 will cause the contact-bearing member 12 to turn about its pivot pin 10. Thus, if the pin 24 is turned a suflicient amount to adjust the contact member 13 to its correct initial position or' to compensate for the usual wear thereof,

eflective engagement of the contact members may be obtained under all conditions.

I do not limit my invention to the particular application and structure shown as it is susceptible to various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims;

I claim as my invention:

1. In a switch, the combination with movable and stationary contact members and an operating arm, of means for pivot-ally mounting the movable contact member on the operating arm, and eccentric means operatively connected to the operating arm and the movable contact member for adjusting the relative position of the movable con tact member with respect to the stationary contact member and the operating arm.

2. In a switch, the combination with movable and stationary contact members and an operating arm, of" means for pivotally mounting the movable contact member on the operating arm, and eccentric means operatively connected to the operating arm and the movable contact member for turning the movable contact member with respect to the operating arm.

3. The combination with movable and stationary contact members and an operating arm, of means for pivotally mounting the movable contact member on the operating arm, and an eccentric pin mounted in the operating arm and adapted to limit the movement of the movable contact member about its pivot.

' i. The combination with movable and stationary contact members and an operating arm, of means for pivotally mounting the movable contact member on the operating arm, and an eccentric pin mounted in the operating arm and adapted to adjust the normal position of the movable contact member with respect to the operating arm.

5. The combination with an operating arm, of a contact member pivotally mounted thereon, and eccentric means for turning the contact member upon its pivot to vary its normal position only with respect to the operating arm.

6. The combination with an operating arm, of a contact member pivotally mounted thereon, resilient means adapted to turn the contact member about its pivot, and eccentric means for limiting the adjustment of the normal position of the contact member.

7. The combination with an operating arm, of a contact member pivotally mounted thereon, resilient means adapted to turn the contact member about its pivot, and an eccentric pin disposed in openings in the operating arm and the contact member for limiting the adjustment of the normal posi tion of the contact member.

8. The combination with an operating arm, of a contact member pivotally mounted thereon, resilient means adapted to turn the contact member'about its pivot, and a pin having concentric and eccentric portions, the concentric portions of which are adapted to extend into openings in the opcrating arm and the eccentric portion of which is adapted to extend into an opening in the contact member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of Sept. 1916.

OLIVER r. HIPPLE. 

